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Name of creator

Biographical history

Rudolf Altschul was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, 24 February 1901. He graduated as a Doctor of Universal Medicine from the German University in Prague in 1925, and did postgraduate work in neurology and neuropathology in Paris and Rome. In 1939 he and his wife were forced to flee the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, and were aboard the S.S. Athenia, the first ship torpedoed by the Germans in the Second World War. They eventually arrived in Canada, and Dr. Altschul accepted a position in the Department of Anatomy at the University of Saskatchewan. Prior to coming to Canada he had to his credit 32 scientific papers, and in the following years he contributed another 71 papers dealing with various subjects, including pathology of the nervous system, skeletal muscle degeneration, cell division and in particular, arterial degeneration. His most notable contribution was in demonstrating the cholesterol-lowering effect of nicotinic acid. Dr. Altschul died on 4 November 1963.

Custodial history

Scope and content

This fonds contains Professor Altschul's personal papers, including the manuscripts of his two novels, "Trilemma" and "Vorgestern und Uebermorgern," various poems, stories, and articles, as well as personal correspondence, finances, and family memorabilia. It also contains his books "Arteriosclerosis" and "Endothelium," and three books by other authors. Many of the stories, articles, and correspondence refer to the sinking of the Athenia. This fonds also contains files relating to Professor Altschul's research activities, particularly in the fields of arteriosclerosis, endothelium, and niacin.